Senior Executive Seminar: The Adaptability of Violent Extremist Organizations: Illegality, Technology, and Messaging

29 March – 2 April 2021 – NESA hosted a timely Senior Executive Seminar (SES) focused on the continued threat of violent extremist organizations (VEOs), particularly their use of new media platforms, as well as best practices to combat violent extremism in the virtual and non-virtual space. The SES welcomed more than 50 foreign service Read More >

Iraq National Defence College Discussion

31 March 2021 – The NESA Center conducted a virtual private event for the National Defence College of Iraq to address the challenges and obstacles ahead of U.S.-Iraq relations under the new Biden Administration. The discussion was led by Mr. Daniel Curfiss, with a welcome by NESA’s Academic Dean, Dr. Roger Kangas, and Director LTG Read More >

Iran Dialogue Series Briefing Paper: Conflicting Timelines and Agendas, and the Road to Potential Revival of the JCPOA

By Dr. Sanam Vakil, deputy director of the Chatham House Middle East North Africa Programme and Dr. Gawdat Bahgat, professor of National Security Affairs at National Defense University’s Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies 19 April 2021 Introduction During his 2020 campaign for the White House, Joe Biden made clear his intention to Read More >

President Al-Sisi Puts Egypt Back on its Feet

By LTC Sami Alshehri, Saudi Arabian Military, US Central Command: Strategy Plans and Policy Directorate; Combined Strategic Analysis Group 30 Mar 2021 Introduction: As some have observed, the Muslim Brotherhood government that followed the 2011 revolution completely failed and created a power vacuum. However, Brotherhood rule in Egypt effectively ended the utopian idea that political Read More >

Coherency of EU Foreign Policies towards the USCENTCOM AOR

By LtCol Arto Hirvela, FIN Army, US Central Command: Strategy Plans and Policy Directorate; Combined Strategic Analysis Group 19 Mar 2021 Introduction: Within the USCENTCOM area of responsibility (AOR), the European Union (EU) policies towards Central and South Asia, and the Middle East are widely different and lack a comprehensive approach. While the EU published Read More >

NESA IOR Digital Series with Darshana Baruah

5 April 2021 – This edition of the NESA IOR Digital Series features Ms. Darshana Baruah, Head of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace’s newly announced Indian Ocean Initiative. This conversation discusses the development of a maritime-linked regional identity throughout the Indian Ocean littorals and what forces are likely to shape how regional states engage Read More >

NESA IOR Digital Series with Dr. Christopher Colley

23 March 2021 – This iteration of the NESA IOR Digital Series features comments from Dr. Christopher Colley of the UAE National Defence College. His research on China-India relations is discussed, as well as what he sees as the nature of competition among major powers and how smaller regional states in the IOR (Indian Ocean Read More >

Roundtable Discussion with Omani Ambassador to the United States, Moosa Hamdan Moosa Al Tai

25 March 2021 – On Thursday, the NESA Center held a roundtable discussion with the Omani Ambassador to the United States Moosa Hamdan Moosa Al Tai. Dr. Gawdat Bahgat moderated the discussion. The ambassador addressed bilateral relations between the Sultanate and the United States as well as regional issues including the on-going war in Yemen Read More >

The Indo-Pacific and Security Challenges with Mr. Blake Herzinger

In this iteration of the NESA IOR Digital Series, NESA’s Jeff Payne is honored to speak with Mr. Blake Herzinger, a Non-resident WSD-Handa Fellow with the Pacific Forum and President of the Singapore chapter of CIMSEC. Mr. Herzinger’s expertise in security assistance, maritime security, and sea-power are discussed in relation to the Indo-Pacific and the Read More >